MINTEQ International Inc. (MINTEQ) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Minerals Technologies Inc. (MTI). MINTEQ operates the Refractories segment, one of the world’s leading developers and marketers of mineral-based monolithic refractory materials, which are used to resist the effects of high temperature. These materials, usually applied as coatings to surfaces exposed to extreme heat, are used primarily in the steel, aluminum, minerals processing and glass industries.
MINTEQ took over the management of refractory products that were part of the 1992 independent public offering from Pfizer. The business, which Pfizer had acquired in the 1960s, operated in more than 40 countries worldwide and had sales of approximately $150 million in 1992.
In 2005, refractory products had sales of $327.8 million, or 32.9 percent of total MTI sales. During the decade, the refractory business went through dramatic change. In the mid-90s, MINTEQ transformed the refractory business from a commodity-type business to a specialty products and services business. During the course of this change, refractories lost roughly $25 million in sales in low-margin products, however, profitability improved greatly. The Company also made three acquisitions in the refractory area—Ferrotron Technologies, Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. refractories business, and Rijinstal B.V.
The acquisition of Ferrotron Elektronik GmbH in 2001 moved the company into the area of advanced laser scanning devices that can measure the refractory lining of a steel furnace in a matter of seconds to determine where it is in need of repair. The Company also--through its R&D expertise--combined laser scanning technologies with a robotic manipulator that was the world's first fully automated module for measuring, evaluating and repairing refractory linings in high-temperature steel-making vessels. This unit, known as the Scantrol® laser refractory application system, measures and repairs a furnace in about ten minutes--greatly improving steel-making productivity.
The 2001 purchase of Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. refractories business allowed MINTEQ to provide more products and services to the "mini-mills" or the electric arc furnace sector of the steel industry. Before the acquisition, the majority of MINTEQ's business was with basic oxygen furnaces, or integrated steel makers.
The purchase of Rijinstal B.V., also in 2001, added to the company's metallurgical product line, especially calcium wire, which is used to improve steel quality.
In addition to servicing the worldwide steel industry, MINTEQ has expanded its scope to penetrate such industrial markets as the aluminum, minerals processing, power generation and glass industries.
In an effort to meet the demands of growing markets, MINTEQ has extended its global reach with the construction of a 100,000-ton facility in China that is central to about 15 major high quality steel makers.
Learn more:
